Child&#39;s vehicle



May 12, 1925. 1,537,672

E. J. HIBNER CHILDS VEHICLE m FledFeb. 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIL" 1 lim May 12, 1925. l 1,537,672

E. J. HIBNER CHILD S VEHICLE Filed Feb. 14, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 APatented May l2, 1925.

Unire stares rai 1,537,672 fr voV eric EDWARD a. menne, or HAMILTON, onto, Assn-mon ro enana runnen, or nnvv YORK, 1v. Y. I

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` Appiication inea February 14, 1923. serial no. @19,02%

To all fio/mm; t may] concern. l

Be it known that l, EDWARD J. HiBNiir., a citizen ot the United States, and residing at i Han'iilton, in the county of Butler and State or' Ohio, have invented a new and useful .improvement in Childrens Vehicles, of which the following specication is a `full disclosure.

This invention relates generally to childrens vehicles designed for propulsion by the operator when in standing position, andl above mentioned application, and reference therefore, Will herein bc made principally to the feature of the present invention.

The vehicle propulsion means comprises an oscillatable treadle conveying a paivl engaging with al ratchet Wheel fixed to a sprocket Wheel for transmitting motion to said Wheel on the power stroke or' the treadle. The sprocket Wheel connects With a sprocket chain for driving a second sprocket Wheel tixedor connecting With the driving Wheel or Wheels of the vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide means for holding the pawl disengaged :troni the ratchet Wheel When the propelling mechanism or treadle is in its initial'or full retreat position, thereby freeing the driven element of the vehicle for reverse motion.

This object is accomplished by providing means for disengaging the paivl from its ratchet Wheel engagement at each complete return stroke or retreat position oi the treadle, the pawl immediately engaging` a tooth ot thel ratchet wheel when the pedal is depressed ior propelling the vehicle in a YForward direction. y

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for taking up slack in the sprocket chain and maintaining a fixed relation between the sprocket Wheel shafts. which relation has heretofore been disturbed by the flexing of the vehicle iframe under the weight of the operator.

` This object is accomplished by mounting the foot-operated propelling mechanism on a shaft, in turn` mounted at ,the.top of a Pedal fram@ Pivotal te the vehicle frame,

which pedal trame may be oscillatcd and disposed at any desired angle with reiter ence to the vehicle `trame, and to the sprocket carriedby the traction Wheel,` means being provided for holding the 'frame rigidly in adjusted position, thus maintaining a lined relation between the rear `axle a d pro` pelling shaft. 1

Other objectsand certain advantages Will be more fully set forth in the description of the accon'ipanying `drawings forming a lpart of this application, in which:

`Figure l is a side elevation of a one-pedal velocipede embodying the features of this invention.

yFigure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view showing the improved ratchet mecha` nism inits Linitial position With the pavvl disengaged vfrom the teeth of the ratchet Wheel. Y e

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 shovving the payvl engaging a tooth o1 the ratchet Wheel during propelling stroke'.l

Figure l is vertical section on line L -4, of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan of a portion of the mechanism of F l, illustrating a modiiication of the means for adjusting` the angular relation of the pivoted propulsion frame relativeto the vehicle frame `for taking vnp slack in the sprocket chain.

Figure 6 is a `fragmentary longitudinal section on line G-toii- Fig. 5, further illustrating the structure and manner of connect-ing the means of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a detail section online 7 7 of Fig. 6, showing the adjusting".means.l `Figures 8 and 9 are respectively face and edge views of an additional modified 'form of combined chain tightener and'y vehicle brace.

The vehiclc'is composed oit an niideislung Sti 21 for taking up slack inv thefchain 17.l

The sprocket 18 is loose upon the shaft 19 and has attached thereto a ratchet wheel 25 engageable by a pawl 26 carried `by a rotative segment 29 rigidly attached to the shaft 19. The pawl 26 is pivoted at 31 to saidsegment and is loosely traversed by a lateral terminalextension of apawl operating rod 32 slidable in lugs 83, integral with the segment A spring 35 is interposed'between Vone of the lugs and a stop 36 upon the rod,

the actionof the spring tending to lower the pawl for engagement with the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 25, whereby upon the forward propelling stroke 'of the shaft 19 the pawl willbe engaged with a tooth of said wheel, which wheel, by its connection with the sprocket 18, an'd through chain 17, and sprocket 16, will propel the vehicle in a forward direction. In `order to allow the vehicle to be backed, means is provided for disengaging the pawl from the teeth of the ratchet wheel when the pedal is in its initial non-operatingposition, to which position it is forced after each propelling stroke by a normalizing spring 10 attachedas at L tf1 at one end of the segment 29 and at its rear to the axle or, in this instance, to a brace 42 attached tothe frame' and supporting the chain guai-da. In order to disengage the pawl when the pedal or voscillating mechanism is in its normal or retreat position, an inclined llug 45 is providedy at one side of the U-frame20- againstwhich the lower end of the rod 32 impinges, l(see Fig. 2), sliding the rod" in its lug bearings and disengaging the pawl, lthus permitting the vehicle to be backed.

As'shown in Fig. 2, they lower end of the lod 32 is in engagement with the lug and consequently the pawl is disengaged from its ratchet wheel.'

In Fig. S, the pawl-carrying segment has been rotated through a portion of itspropeiling arc, the lower end of the rod has been disengaged from its lug 45,y and the spring actuated pawl has been forced into operative engagement with its ratchet wheel. A rubber bumper 46 is provided in the U-frame 20, an extension being provided on the lower side of the pawl-carrying segment for engagement with said cushion.

In order to take up slack in the sprocket chain 17, a tension member 50 in the form ofa flat rod is attached as at 52 to the up- Vturned ends 3 of the vehicle frame, the rod having an angular portion at its opposite end loosely traversed by the shank of a screw 52,`which shank traverses a lug 53 of the frame 20, and has lock nuts 53, one at each side of the extension. By adjustment of the nuts upon the threaded shank the proper tension of the chain may be obtained.

A modified form of chain adjusting and vehicle frame brace is shown in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, designed to take up slack inthe sprocket Achain 17, and to maintain a fixed relation between the shaft19 and the rear axle 10 thereafter. A tension and brace member 54 is connected `between said shaft and axle, one end of the rod being traversed with the shaft 19 and the opposite end of the rod having an elongated opening slidably traversed by the rear axle 10. T he rear extremity of the rod is 'bent at a right angle as at 56 to provide an extension traversed by a tension adjusting member 57, having a head 58 engaged ,about the axle 10. J am nuts 59 are kprovided and are engaged with thethreaded vportion of the adjusting member at each side of the extension 56. By manipulatingA the adjusting member by means of the nuts, the bar may be thrust forwardly or rearwardly to respectively tighten and loosen the chain, the adjusted relation being thereafter positively maintained.

In Figures 8 and 9 are shown another form ofk tension rod 60, having a slotted rear end 61, engageable over the axle and provided with a lug 62 traversed by an adjustment screw 63, the shank end of which is adapted to abut the axle. Vhen the screw is turned to the right the chain will be tightened.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a treadle propelled vehicle, a vehicle frame having two rear wheels and a front steering wheel, a single treadle operable crank shaft journaled upon the frame, a pawl and ratchet propelling mechanism operable by said crank shaft, a rod connected with the pa-wl for disengaging the pawl from its ratchet, a stop engageable by the rod, at theend of the retreat stroke of said pawl and crank shaft, for disengaging the pawl, and chain transmission means connecting said ratchet mechanism wit-h one of the rear wheels.

2. In combination with a vehicle having a. frame, a rear axle and two rear wheels thereon, one a tractor wheel, and having a front steering wheel, vehicle propelling means mounted upon a U-frame, said U-frame pivoted to said vehicle frame, said propelling means `comprising a shaft, rotative at the non-pivoted end of said U-frame, a pedal and crank for operating said shaft, a drive sprocket at` one end of' said shaft and a with said paWl, a spring for normally causing the paWl to engage the ratchet Wheel,

and a stop on said frame engageable by said rod for holding the paWl from engagement y with its ratchet Wheel when the segment and pedal are in their initial inoperative position. f

3. In combination with a three-Wheel vehicle, comprising a frame having a rear aXie and two rear Wheels thereon, one a tractor wheel, and a front steering Wheel, means for propelling said vehicle, said means mounted upon a frame pivoted to said vehicle frame and including a propelling shaft at the upper end of said pivoted frame, a sprocket wheel loose upon said shaft,v a ratchet Wheel rotative With said sprocket Wheel, a spring retractable oscillative element movable With said shaft and having a paWl thereon engageable with said ratchet Wheel, a springpressed rod engaged at one end With said pawl for normally causing the same to engage said ratchet Wheel, and a stop upon said frame engageable by thel opposite end of said rod When said propelling means is in non-operative condition for disengaging said paWl from said ratchet Wheel.

4l. In combination with a three Wheeled vehicle comprising a frame having a rear axle and two rear Wheels, one a tractor Wheel, and a front steering Wheel, means mounted upon the frame for the direct propulsion of the tractor Wheel, including a propelling shaft rotatably mounted, a

sprocket wheel loose upon lthe shaft, a ratchet Wheel rotatable With the sprocket Wheel, a spring retractable Aoscillative` element movable With the shaft having a Vpavvl thereon engageable with the ratchet Wheel, a spring pressed rod engaged at one end With the said pavvl for normally causing the same to engage said ratchet Wheel, a stop upon the frame engageable by the opposite end of the rod when said propelling means is in non-operative condition, for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet wheel, and

'independently mounted stop means for limiting reverse shaft rotation. v

5. In combination with a vehicle having a frame, a rear axle and two rear Wheels thereon, one a tractor Wheel and having a front steering Wheel,- vehicle propelling means mounted upon the vehicle frame comprising a .propelling crank shaft rotatably mounted, adapted for foot operation, a driving sprocket rotatable upon the shaft having a ratchet Wheel rotatable therewith, a pawl advanceable with and by the shaft, means for reversely rotating or retracting the shaft after each forward or propulsion rotation, a rod engaged With the paWl, a spring for normally causing thenpawl to engage the ratchet Wheel, and an independently mounted stop engageable by the rod .for holding the paWl from engagement With the ratchet Wheel When the shaft is in retracted or initial inoperative position.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the tivo subscribing Witnesses. i

EDWARD J. I-IIBNER. Witnesses: l

R. Krs'rNER, n L. A. BECK. 

